Ear muff



J. LUCAS.-

EAR MUFF. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 1, I919.

Patented Jan. 24,1922;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LUCAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH J". LUCAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EAR MUFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application filed November 1, 1919. Serial No. 335,086.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LUCAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ear Mufi's, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in ear muffs, and has for its object the provision of an ear muff which will protect the ear from cold and in no way hinder the passage of sound to the ear.

ther objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawin s forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1, is a front elevational view of my invention applied to an ear,

Fig. 2, a front elevational View of my invention,

Fig. 3, a rear elevational view of the invention,

Fig. 4, a sectional View taken on substantially line 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5, a perspective view of the clamping means employed in the invention,

The approved form of construction comprises a fabric member which is adapted to cover the ears, one portion 6 being designed to cover one side of the ear and one portion 8 being designed to cover the other side of the ear which is opposite the head. As

shown, the portion 6 is formed to conform to the peripheral contour of the car, an irregular passage 7 being formed in the member 6 to leave the auditory passage of the ear exposed. I prefer to form the .fabric portion of my invention with a lining 9, which is formed preferably from cotton flannel. Mounted within the fabric portion is a suitable clamping meanswhich is designed to retain the device upon the ear of the wearer when once placed thereon. This clamping means comprises a J-shaped metallic member 10 and a co-operating L-shaped metallic member 11. The member 10 is pro vided adjacent one end with a tongue 12 which is designed to engage in a slot 13 formed in the stem of the L-shaped member 11. Securely fastened to the member 11, adjacent one end thereof, by a rivet 14 or other suitable fastening means, is a J -shaped member 15 formed of some plate spring material, the curved portion of the member being adapted to engage the end portion of the member 10. Openings 16 are provided in the members 10, 11 and 15, for the purpose of affording a passage for the thread therethrough by means of which the device is sewed to the fabric constituting the portions 6 and 8. A fabric member 17 forms a cover for the metallic clamping means so as to prevent the same from coming into contact with the ear of the wearer.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Havin described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An ear muff comprising a fabric member for covering the external ear; means for retaining said member on an ear, said means comprising a J-shaped member, a substantially L-shaped member, a spring mounted at one end on said Lshaped member adjacent one end thereof; and a tongue projecting from said J-shaped member and adapted to engage in a slot formed in said L-shaped member, substantially as described.

2. An ear muff comprising a fabric covering; a pair of co-operating clamping members within said covering; a tongue adjacent one end of one of the said clamping members and adapted to engage in a slot provided in the other of the said clamping members; and a resilient member secured adjacent one end of one of the said clamping members and adapted to engage one end of the other of the said clamping members for retainin said clamping members in position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JOHN LUCAS.

Witnesses JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, Rosn K. TRIB. 

